Loyce Belle Conner Prater

   Loyce Belle Conner Prater, Waynesboro, TN passed away peacefully on December 24, 2022 at Boyd Cottages Assisted Living, Waynesboro surrounded by family at the age of 94 years, 10 months, 24 days. Loyce was born in Lewis County, TN to Ruford Allen and Lona Maebelle Turnbow Conner. The family moved often in her childhood and Loyce met the love of her life, W.L. (Dugan) Prater in Gibson County, TN. They married on August 24, 1946 in Corinth, MS after meeting on a blind date three weeks earlier. After moving several times, they made their home in Waynesboro where they owned various retail businesses. They opened Prater Furniture Store on the square in 1955 and then added Prater’s Jewelry in 1966. Many of these years Dugan was sick and Loyce ran the businesses and took care of him and the household. She was hard-working, determined, and insisted on everything being just perfect. She didn’t graduate high school as a teenager but obtained her GED from Wayne County High School in 1976. Loyce and Dugan retired from the jewelry business in 1988. After retirement, they became very active in Republican politics at the local, state, and federal level. Loyce served as President and Treasurer of the Republican Ladies at different times over the years. She loved to travel, making a trip to Israel in 1970 and traveling throughout the United States with Dugan. She loved her family deeply and spoiled her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with Cokes and candy bars daily. She was an active member of all the churches she attended in her lifetime, but in her later years she was a member of Green River Baptist Church. She moved to Boyd Cottages in October, 2014 and enjoyed many years of good company, Bingo, and exceptional care from the staff there. Loyce is survived by her daughters, Hilda Haggard, husband, Larry and Mary Beth Prater, all of Waynesboro; grandchildren, Julia Bevis, husband, Derrick, John Haggard, Tiffany Dolla, husband, Trenton all of Waynesboro and Mark Bates, Charlotte, TN; great-grandchildren, Jaylen Bevis, Jacob Bevis, wife, Lauren, Tristen Haggard, wife, Carleigh, JannaKay Bevis, Dayton Bates, Drake Bates and Elijah Dollar; great-great-grandchildren, Jack Bevis and Vivien Bevis; brother, Richard Conner, Lake Placid, FL and brother-in-law, Harlie Prater, wife, Lillian, Waynesboro and several nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, Loyce was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, W.L. (Dugan) Prater; brothers, Herbert and T.C. Conner and sister, Joyce Conner. Services were Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Shackelford Funeral Directors, Waynesboro with Craig Mason and Dusty Malugen officiating. Burial was in Memorial Gardens, Waynesboro with Shackelford Funeral Directors assisting the family. Pallbearers were John Haggard, Mark Bates, Trenton Dollar, Jaylen Bevis, Jacob Bevis, and Tristen Haggard. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Anytime Santa Fund, PO Box 310, Waynesboro, TN 38485 or Green River Baptist Church.